Chapman leaving Thunder for Pacific

STOCKTON - University of the Pacific has added to its roster of homegrown talent, hiring Thunder President and near lifelong Stockton resident Dan Chapman as an associate athletic director.

Bob Highfill

STOCKTON - University of the Pacific has added to its roster of homegrown talent, hiring Thunder President and near lifelong Stockton resident Dan Chapman as an associate athletic director.

Chapman, 50, will oversee marketing, ticket sales, athletic media relations and aid in media negotiations with the NCAA and the West Coast Conference, the Tigers' new home starting this fall after 42 years in the Big West Conference.

Chapman has been president of the Thunder ECHL hockey franchise since its inception in 2005 and will assume his new duties July 1. The Thunder recently reached the Kelly Cup Finals for the first time, losing to the Reading Royals in five games.

"It's been an eventful few days," said Chapman, a Lincoln High and San Francisco State graduate. "It's difficult leaving this organization, having been here since we started, but I'm very excited about the opportunity at Pacific."

Thunder owner Brad Rowbotham said Chapman will be missed.

"Dan's contribution has been fantastic over the last eight years," said Rowbotham, owner and general manager of Roll'n Oilfield Industries in Red Deer, Alberta. "He knows so many people and is such a good person. When you lose someone like that, it is a loss, but we're going to take everything he's helped build and move forward and build on top of what he's done."

Rowbotham, who purchased the Thunder from Michael Reinsdorf in April 2010, said he hasn't yet identified any potential successors.

Thunder coach Matt Thomas, who will interview for the coaching vacancy at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, on Thursday, said Chapman has been the face of the Thunder franchise.

"He poured his heart and soul into the Thunder, but at some point you have those tough decisions to make for the next move in your life," said Thomas, who recently completed his fourth full season with Stockton. "I know he's excited, and it's a good move for him."

Chapman got the job at Pacific with help from his longtime friend Ron Verlin, the Tigers' new men's basketball coach, who several weeks ago approached Pacific athletic director Ted Leland about bringing Chapman on board.

"He's one of the best guys in this town to sell tickets and community relations," said Verlin, who succeeds Bob Thomason after 19 years as his assistant coach. "He's a great sports guy and he's a first-class, out-front guy. He brings that immediately, his relationships and what he's built in this community."

Chapman spent 14 years with the Stockton Ports, the first four as the assistant general manager and the final 10 as general manager. He was president and chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Stockton and spent four years on the Stockton City Council. Chapman was named the Class A Executive of the Year by Sporting News in 1990 and received the California League Award of Excellence in 1992. In 2011, he was named ECHL Executive of the Year.

Chapman was the first employee hired by the Thunder and helped execute a business plan developed by Chief Financial Officer Bill Davidson, who still is employed by the franchise. Chapman helped sell hockey to an area that never before had a professional hockey franchise.

In each year of its existence, the Thunder has placed among the top five in attendance in the 23-team ECHL and led the league in attendance for four consecutive seasons. Meanwhile, Pacific has struggled to fill seats in recent years. Last season, Pacific men's basketball was sixth in the 10-team Big West in attendance averaging 2,169 in 16 dates at the 6,150-seat Spanos Center.

"The most important thing the university needs to focus on is selling tickets," Chapman said. "That's where it all starts, and that's the message I will be conveying to anybody who wants to listen. Going into the WCC will build attendance, but you can't rely on just that. There has to be a full-court press, no pun intended, on ticket sales, and if that's done correctly, it will help in a variety of areas."

Chapman said he and Leland will develop a business plan and execute it with help from existing staff and possible new hires. Leland did not immediately return a phone message Monday but in a statement said: "We are extremely thrilled to have someone of Dan's ability and reputation in the community to join Pacific Athletics. Dan's strengths are tailor made for this position, and he will help us elevate our program in all facets as we transition to a new dawn of the university's athletic footprint."

This year, in an effort to bridge a long-perceived disconnect between Pacific and the community, the university purchased billboards that highlight student-athletes and prominent alums with area ties, including St. Mary's product Kendall Kenyon of the women's basketball team and Franklin graduate, astronaut Jose Hernandez, behind the heading "Homegrown Talent." Chapman knows it will take more than billboards to build interest.

"It all starts with the fan base. That's something that has to be first and foremost for us to improve upon," Chapman said. "I haven't been in the trenches to know why it's been what it's been. It's had its ups and downs. They had some really good years in the early 2000s, and a lot of it, at the college level, it's based more on winning, but you can't sit back and wait for that to happen. You have to aggressively go out into the community and do a lot of outreach to get folks to come see the Tigers."

Chapman said job security was among his reasons for leaving the Thunder. Chapman worked for four owners with the Ports and has worked for two owners with the Thunder.

"I survived all six ownership changes, and I've been lucky to have worked for great owners, but it can be nerve-racking," Chapman said. "I'm looking forward to the college atmosphere and working with different athletic programs."

Pacific has 18 athletic teams, including sand volleyball, which was added this year.

Chapman and his wife, Mary Ann, live in Stockton with their sons Andrew, 18, and Eric, 15.